Introduction
Letter to the Colossians chapters 1 and 4 name several individuals who formed a kind of training chain. Paul took care not to by-pass links in the chain, respecting each one’s working relations, calling them his “co-workers”.
These individuals included:
Paul –> Timothy –> Epaphras –> Archippus –> Nympha
In November 2009, four CP trainers, who had been mentored by George Patterson, enjoyed three intense weeks in South Asia, introducing the Train & Multiply® (www.TrainAndMultiply.com) programme to indigenous church planting entities at 19 locations, at the invitation of a non-governmental organization that provided in-country hospitality, travel and arrangements. We thank the organizers for both the opportunity and their generous kindness.
The trainers’ combined experiences, notes and evaluations have led to seven, tentative, “lessons” for those who wish to introduce mentored leader training in various settings and situations and across many ministries
“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:1-2
You have often observed the four generations in this text: (1) Paul, (2) Timothy, (3) faithful men and (4) others, also. Let us look for a moment at that fourth generation which is often absent in multi-tiered training schemes, due to woefully ineffective mentoring.
Jesus promised: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matt. 18:20) If you mentor those who multiply new gatherings and those who shepherd them, then you understand the importance of this basic unit of the living Body of Christ on earth. You can help your trainees plan, form and multiply many tiny gatherings as part of a bigger congregation.
Patterson, Schwartz, Neumann, Chaudhrie, Garrison, Watson and others have been tracking church planting movements (CPM) the past couple of decades. These have served us well by identifying and describing the kinds of practices that always or usually accompany church reproduction and multiplication. These practices are variously called CPM factors, causes, enhancers, convictions, practices, principles. A lot of training for CPM focuses on teaching these things, and rightly so.
Since the late twentieth century, several researchers have written in English on various “universal” factors, functions or traits that cause or abet church-planting movements. We owe a great debt to such specialists as Donald McGavran, David Garrison, and Mikel Neumann, for the risk they ran in publishing their findings. This paper, seeking to remain within the glow of their light, signals seven general activity areas that normally improve church reproduction where implemented in a coordinated fashion over time. We offer these, not as promises or as magic tricks, but as widely-proven activities that you can implement, control, adjust, test and improve.
During this decade, certain ‘universal factors’, common traits and basic practices of church-planting movements have become widely known and are now being taught in most countries. Consequently, Church Planter mentors and teachers are increasingly being called upon to advise, train and coach those who want to launch a Church Planting Movement (CPM), quickly, where conventional churches cost too much or reproduce too slowly. However, such workers can quickly prove disappointed, when CPM methods do not seem to work for them, even angry with you for misleading them.
Jesus predicted, “They will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14
Rigid Western leadership patterns increasingly clash with more flexible, emerging leadership patterns where churches are growing and multiplying. Many have observed that God normally raises up shepherds and servants in new churches, as He promised in Ephesians 4:11-12. Missionaries and church planters should discern who those leaders are, and cooperate with the Holy Spirit in affirming and training those leaders, even if their new leadership patterns do not fit traditional ecclesiology.
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